diff --git a/src/components/FileBrowser.tsx b/src/components/FileBrowser.tsx
index 4896917fc..e653518bb 100644
--- a/src/components/FileBrowser.tsx
+++ b/src/components/FileBrowser.tsx
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ import { Popover, PopoverContent, PopoverTrigger } from "./ui/popover";
 import { Tabs, TabsList, TabsTrigger } from "./ui/tabs";
 import { Textarea } from "./ui/textarea";
 import { DirectoryBatchLoader } from "./file-browser/directoryBatchLoader";
+import { REMOTE_FILE_TREE_REASON } from "../lib/remote-capabilities";
+import { remoteRepositoryContaining } from "../lib/repository-adapter";
 import { flattenExpandedTree } from "./file-browser/flattenTree";
 
 // Helper to check if file is binary
@@ -1204,8 +1206,9 @@ export const FileBrowser = ({
   })();
 
   const workspacePath = workspace ? getFullWorkspacePath(workspace) : basePath;
+  const isRemoteTree = remoteRepositoryContaining(basePath) !== null;
   useSWR(
-    repoPath
+    repoPath && !isRemoteTree
       ? [
           "ensure-workspace-indexed",
           repoPath,
@@ -1221,8 +1224,9 @@ export const FileBrowser = ({
     data: loadedRootEntries,
     isLoading: isLoadingDir,
     mutate: mutateRootEntries,
-  } = useSWR(basePath ? ["list-directory", basePath] : null, async () =>
-    filterHiddenEntries(await listDirectory(basePath)),
+  } = useSWR(
+    basePath && !isRemoteTree ? ["list-directory", basePath] : null,
+    async () => filterHiddenEntries(await listDirectory(basePath)),
   );
   const rootEntries = loadedRootEntries ?? EMPTY_DIRECTORY_ENTRIES;
 
@@ -2016,7 +2020,14 @@ export const FileBrowser = ({
       <div className="flex-1 flex min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
         {/* File Tree */}
         <div className="w-72 flex-shrink-0 border-r bg-sidebar overflow-hidden">
-          {isLoadingDir && rootEntries.length === 0 ? (
+          {isRemoteTree ? (
+            <p
+              className="p-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground"
+              data-testid="remote-file-tree-unavailable"
+            >
+              {REMOTE_FILE_TREE_REASON}
+            </p>
+          ) : isLoadingDir && rootEntries.length === 0 ? (
             <div className="flex items-center justify-center p-4">
               <Loader2 className="w-6 h-6 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
             </div>
diff --git a/src/components/ShowWorkspace.tsx b/src/components/ShowWorkspace.tsx
index 2bbfab0e4..e2a8d3dfc 100644
--- a/src/components/ShowWorkspace.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ShowWorkspace.tsx
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ import {
 } from "../lib/commitsTabLabel";
 import { cn, getFullWorkspacePath, resolveReadmeImageSrc } from "../lib/utils";
 import { sumWorkspaceLocFromLog } from "../lib/workspace-stack";
+import { REMOTE_FILE_TREE_REASON } from "../lib/remote-capabilities";
+import { RemoteOperationUnsupportedError } from "../lib/repository-adapter";
 import type { AgentReviewComment } from "../lib/api-types-review";
 import type { SessionCreationInfo } from "../types/sessions";
 import { ChangesDiffViewer } from "./ChangesDiffViewer";
@@ -476,8 +478,11 @@ export const ShowWorkspace = ({
         ]);
         return { entries, readme };
       } catch (error) {
-        console.error("Failed to load workspace overview:", error);
-        return { entries: [], readme: null as string | null };
+        const unavailable = error instanceof RemoteOperationUnsupportedError;
+        if (!unavailable) {
+          console.error("Failed to load workspace overview:", error);
+        }
+        return { entries: [], readme: null as string | null, unavailable };
       }
     },
   );
@@ -1290,7 +1295,9 @@ export const ShowWorkspace = ({
                     })}
                     {!overviewPending && rootEntries.length === 0 && (
                       <div className="px-4 py-8 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                        No files found
+                        {overviewData?.unavailable
+                          ? REMOTE_FILE_TREE_REASON
+                          : "No files found"}
                       </div>
                     )}
                   </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/api-extra.ts b/src/lib/api-extra.ts
index e28ee05d8..4201cb89b 100644
--- a/src/lib/api-extra.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api-extra.ts
@@ -284,11 +284,21 @@ export const writeAgentCliFiles = (
 export const cleanupAgentCliFiles = (paths: string[]): Promise<void> =>
   invoke("cleanup_agent_cli_files", { paths });
 
-export const getFileModifiedAt = (path: string): Promise<string | null> =>
-  invoke("get_file_modified_at", { path });
+const FILE_TREE = "Browsing the file tree";
 
-export const listDirectory = (path: string): Promise<DirectoryEntry[]> =>
-  invoke("list_directory", { path });
+export const getFileModifiedAt = async (
+  path: string,
+): Promise<string | null> => {
+  assertLocalOperation(path, FILE_TREE);
+  return invoke("get_file_modified_at", { path });
+};
+
+export const listDirectory = async (
+  path: string,
+): Promise<DirectoryEntry[]> => {
+  assertLocalOperation(path, FILE_TREE);
+  return invoke("list_directory", { path });
+};
 
 export interface DirectoryBatchResult {
   path: string;
@@ -296,25 +306,31 @@ export interface DirectoryBatchResult {
   error?: string;
 }
 
-export const listDirectoriesBatch = (
+export const listDirectoriesBatch = async (
   paths: string[],
-): Promise<DirectoryBatchResult[]> =>
-  invoke("list_directories_batch", { paths });
+): Promise<DirectoryBatchResult[]> => {
+  for (const path of paths) assertLocalOperation(path, FILE_TREE);
+  return invoke("list_directories_batch", { paths });
+};
 
-export const lsWorkspaceWithStatus = (
+export const lsWorkspaceWithStatus = async (
   repoPath: string,
   workspaceId: number | null,
-): Promise<DirectoryEntry[]> =>
-  invoke("ls_workspace_with_status", { repoPath, workspaceId });
+): Promise<DirectoryEntry[]> => {
+  assertLocalOperation(repoPath, FILE_TREE);
+  return invoke("ls_workspace_with_status", { repoPath, workspaceId });
+};
 
 // Kept as the typed frontend counterpart of the registered Tauri command.
 // eslint-disable-next-line local/no-unused-exported-ts-functions, local/require-tauri-api-exports-used
-export const listDirectoryCached = (
+export const listDirectoryCached = async (
   repoPath: string,
   workspaceId: number | null,
   parentPath: string,
-): Promise<CachedDirectoryEntry[]> =>
-  invoke("list_directory_cached", { repoPath, workspaceId, parentPath });
+): Promise<CachedDirectoryEntry[]> => {
+  assertLocalOperation(repoPath, FILE_TREE);
+  return invoke("list_directory_cached", { repoPath, workspaceId, parentPath });
+};
 
 export interface SendArtifactRecord {
   id: string;
diff --git a/src/lib/api.ts b/src/lib/api.ts
index 24add155a..a61822c08 100644
--- a/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -124,16 +124,18 @@ export const archiveWorkspace = async (
   });
 };
 
-export const ensureWorkspaceIndexed = (
+export const ensureWorkspaceIndexed = async (
   repoPath: string,
   workspaceId: number | null,
   workspacePath: string,
-): Promise<boolean> =>
-  invoke("ensure_workspace_indexed", {
+): Promise<boolean> => {
+  assertLocalOperation(repoPath, "Indexing workspace files");
+  return invoke("ensure_workspace_indexed", {
     repoPath,
     workspaceId,
     workspacePath,
   });
+};
 
 export const getSetting = (key: string): Promise<string | null> =>
   invoke("get_setting", { key });
@@ -247,11 +249,13 @@ export const listGitignoredPathSuggestions = (
 ): Promise<string[]> =>
   invoke("list_gitignored_path_suggestions", { repoPath });
 
-export const getWorkspaceReadme = (
+export const getWorkspaceReadme = async (
   repoPath: string,
   workspaceId: number | null,
-): Promise<string | null> =>
-  invoke("get_workspace_readme", { repoPath, workspaceId });
+): Promise<string | null> => {
+  assertLocalOperation(repoPath, "Reading the workspace README");
+  return invoke("get_workspace_readme", { repoPath, workspaceId });
+};
 
 export const getWorkspaceFileHunks = (
   repoPath: string,
diff --git a/src/lib/remote-capabilities.ts b/src/lib/remote-capabilities.ts
index 44964b00c..aa085cd64 100644
--- a/src/lib/remote-capabilities.ts
+++ b/src/lib/remote-capabilities.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 export const REMOTE_MERGE_REASON =
   "Merging a remote workspace is not available yet. Push the branch and merge it from your hosting provider instead.";
 
+export const REMOTE_FILE_TREE_REASON =
+  "Browsing the file tree is not available for remote repositories yet. Use Go to file to open a file.";
+
 export interface ActionCapability {
   supported: boolean;
   reason?: string;
diff --git a/src/lib/remote-path-guards.test.ts b/src/lib/remote-path-guards.test.ts
index 0191c639b..57a67002d 100644
--- a/src/lib/remote-path-guards.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/remote-path-guards.test.ts
@@ -25,18 +25,15 @@ const NOT_REPOSITORY_PATHS = new Set(["cleanupAgentCliFiles"]);
 const KNOWN_UNGUARDED: string[] = [
   "apply_stash",
   "delete_stash",
-  "ensure_workspace_indexed",
   "export_stash_git_patch",
   "get_cached_pr_ci_status",
   "get_cached_pr_info",
-  "get_file_modified_at",
   "get_git_remote_url",
   "get_log_timeseries",
   "get_pr_checks_via_gh",
   "get_pr_info_via_gh",
   "get_repo_logs",
   "get_stash_diff",
-  "get_workspace_readme",
   "get_workspace_setup_status",
   "github_open_or_create_workspace_from_issue",
   "init_repo",
@@ -44,9 +41,6 @@ const KNOWN_UNGUARDED: string[] = [
   "jj_check_branch_exists",
   "list_cached_pr_ci_statuses",
   "list_cached_pr_statuses",
-  "list_directories_batch",
-  "list_directory",
-  "list_directory_cached",
   "list_gitignored_path_suggestions",
   "list_installed_skills",
   "list_send_artifacts",
@@ -55,7 +49,6 @@ const KNOWN_UNGUARDED: string[] = [
   "list_workflow_runs",
   "list_workflows",
   "load_repo_yaml_config",
-  "ls_workspace_with_status",
   "open_or_create_workspace_from_pr",
   "refresh_pr_branch_status",
   "refresh_pr_statuses",